Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-10-21
TEXAS TOMS BRIDE.
A Florida Girl Stake at Poker by q
Busted Gambler-Tw0 Thou
sand Dollars
Against q Wifs-The Notorious Thomas
Comes This Way Honeymooning With
Hts Winning.
San Frarcssco Examiner.


his way around the country on nerve, not
an unusual way for him to travel, by the
way. he has been sfi0at for himself
since he was five years old, and in the
f, sixteen years that hare elapsed since he
attained that age Tom las posed as pre-
cocious song and dance kid, Jockey, gam
bier and general jobber. For long while
he was a leading rider and trainer with
Lorillard on the famous Rsncocas farm
and the prominent eastern tracks. Then
the Lady of the Lake was doped, 8 cloud
was cast on the lad, Lorillard discharged
him and the cloud las been gathering in
darkness ever since. JOB sitter Job was
charged against Tom, and aow he is bar
red from two-thirds Of the tracks in the
country. He has been into everything of
q sporting nature since the turf declined
him and has been fairly successful. What
ever may be the depth Of his unscrupu-
lousness, he does not lacks the nerve he
talks of travelling Oh, and when that same
nerve has carried him successfully
through financial plot he is good to
sports ont Of luck and Groken-doWn
friends of former days.
Thomas z Redmond is his baptismal
name, but Texas Tom has been his appel
lation for SO long that it is doubtful il a
1.-THE of the turfmen who know him and
have written columns about him are
aware of the name left him by his father.
Barely twentY-one years of age he has
lived through more than most FOUNDERS
of fifty; not very good life perhaps,
but certainly most memorable and
exciting one. Consider BILE of his
eventful history was published on the
occasion Of his prior visit to San Fran
cisco, something over year ago, and
only one of the latest and strangest
phases Of it furnishes an excuse for de-
voting fresh space to him.
Tom promenades Market street every
evening with very beautiful woman,
apparently year or two younger than
himself, whom he addresses as Ray. She
is on par with him in height, is bru-
nette after the Creole type, voluptuous to
perfection, and decorated with pair OF
paralyzing brown eyes of saucer-like pro-
portions. She wears diamonds and looks
hsppy and interested in Tom.
Tom sports light summer suit, light
gray plug hat, and on parade appears
proud of the attention attracted by his
companion.
AS they passed through the blaze of the
electric light in front of the Examiner
business office two or three evenings
since member of the staff was engaged
in conversation with q northwest sport
ing man, who remarked that the young
couple were on bridal tour, growing
out of poker game.
"You have often read" he continued,
"of woman being won, both in the tales
of the knights of old and in latter-day
times. Texas Tom literally won that girl
you just saw him with but withoutsword
Or courtship. In plain words, he won
her at poker, after one of the longest and
hottest sessions ever sew over round
table"
Pressed for the story, the speaker told
1.-THE only romance in Redmond's life.
About three years ago slick short
csrd gambler named William Townsend
took professional tour through the
south. In a Florida hamlet he encoun-
tered beautiful girl OF sixteen, who Sc
copied his fash for genuine and married
MIN against the will OF her parents, we'll
to-do and respectable people. Townsend
showered jewelry and rich raiment on
his child bride, but she could not descend
to his level at first, and the GOODNESS that
arose between them soon after the hastY
marriage WAS rapidly widening into a
breach leading to separation, when Texas
encountered them in st. Paul, Mimi, 8
little over two months ago. He roomed
in the same house, and alter few chance
meetings Tom and Townsend's wife
found themselves in love with each other.
Eight weeks ago last Monday afternoon
Texas, Townsend and four others sat
down in Redmond's room to play poker.
The game WAS small al first, accents ante,
| I'm no orr cd RI Ann q
that made it exceedingly interesting.
Hour after hour wore away and length
eued into plurality of days, and Texas
won considerable money. One player
after another dropped out, physically or
financially exhausted, others dropped in
and dropped out until finally at the end
of three days only Texas and Townsend
remained. This pair ate and drank be-
tween thesdesls, played standing up and
did everything but sleep.
After the second day the game began
to be s sort or q show, and hundreds
fiocked in to watch the players, and cal
culate how long nature could stand the
strain.
In three days Townsend had lost $4,000
all his available cash, but he begged for 6
short grace, which Texas granted.
It was midnight. Texas stole an hours
nap on the table, while Townsend made
a hurried trip to his rooms. His wife
was asleep, and 1t WAS an easy matter tC
carry Of her Iewelry, mostly diamonds
and aggregatlng in value about $1,000.
While she slept on, unconscious of hel
loss, Townsend returned, woke up hi
opponent, and asked for an allowance OF
the gems. Texas sleepily advanced $1,000
and play was resumed.
It was purely scientific game, escf
man being too clever for the other to dare
attempt any work.
All the next day the play continued in
the presence of a crowd, attracted bv It's
protractlon. Fortune seemed to smile
on Townsend for awhile, but the tidt
turned toward noon, and at the end of the
fourth day of the sitting Texas. had hin
cleaned out.
ISIS that enough?" he asked quietly
J gathering up his winnings.
u "No, it isn't" sullenly returned the de
/ featsd gambler.
"AIl right; what have you got to bet?'
"Yeu seem stuck on that woman o
| mine-wnat'll you bet against herr" wa
: the astounding proposition advanced b.
: the financially wrecked gambler, tn
fever for play burning at a. uncontrolls
BILE heat in his veins.
: Even Tom was 6Azsd, bat only fog
? minute.
; SNAKE it treeze-out," said Tom, tan
e III go you the diamonds and $1,000 an
!. throw in my giTl TO boot"